Beast Within
by TheAngelsCryInBlood
Summary: For all his attentions upon Elena, he managed to miss the temptation in the flesh that was right beside her. And soon enough, he isn't the only one.
1. Chapter 1

Beast Within

Elijah had seen many tempting sights that had tested his control over the years. Not unsurprising, but most of them were intentional temptations, he'd always found the accident ones more inciting.

He hadn't expected to come to the Gilbert house as Elena had instructed, and wasn't that an annoyance, to hear music blasting from upstairs and find pretty boy Jeremy dancing around the room. Saving Able sliding through the air as his slender hips swayed, tight jeans like a second skin and the blemish free torso on full display.

The gentleman in him said he should have turned away and never mention it, another part, his inner Klaus so to speak, wanted to interrupt and tease the teen without mercy but he merely leaned against the door frame and watched entranced.

Jeremy seemed to be apart of the music, shifting with the beat, flowing with the words and seemed to breathe in the music, moulding the atmosphere until it was a tight band of sexual tension.

Elijah let out a breath as the song stopped, the spell braking for a moment but his reprieve wasn't long enough for him to regain his sense's and leave instead he stay, holding unneeded breath and watched as the world seemed to shift on it's axis. Everything centred on the human as the music shaped him the way is wanted.

The Original felt him self being pulled into the eye, shrugging out of his blazer and pulling away his tie, leaving them on the side as he walked forward.

Jeremy froze for a single moment as he pressed against the teen, hand circling his waist and pressing their bodies together. The teen seemed to know exactly who behind him and the vampire chuckled lightly as fingers traced his one of a kind daylight ring.

He couldn't resist leaning closer, feeling the delicious shiver when his lips brushed the warm skin just bellow his lover's ear. The word flowed off his tongue with easy familiarity, a guilty pleasure he kept to himself but indulgence was all he could think of.

 _I see the bodies slowly swayin'  
Movin' side to side  
I feel the animal is rising  
As I slowly come alive_

Jeremy groaned lightly, a shiver rushing down his spine as the deep velvet voice washed over him, sinking deeper into his bones and making the lazy euphoria mix with lust as moved in sync with firm muscle and enjoying the hard length that pressed against him as they moved. God, the fantasies he'd had a bout Elijah and he couldn't believe this gorgeous man was here.

 _So everybody starts to move now  
I wanna see you all give way  
I wanna tear this place apart tonight  
And have you thank me for my rage  
Tell me what you came for  
Can I give you just a taste?_

Finally seeing his face the Gilbert looked intoxicated, eyes blown wide and hazy but still with a sharp focus that sent a shiver down the vampires spine as he claimed those full lips and devoured them, take all that was given, everything.

Jeremy gasped as he was whipped around, his arms closing around the elder, one had curling in his shirt the other in his hair. They moved together perfectly and a hand trailed down, unbuttoning the crisp white shirt, savouring the skin that was revealed.

 _Endorphins start to swell now  
As I step up to my throne  
I feel the monster caged inside of me  
Screaming through my bones  
I wanna see you start to sweat now  
I wanna see you lose your minds  
I wanna feel you all from deep within  
Swayin' back and forth all night_

Elijah grinned as he heard the whimper, letting his shirt fall away as he again captured the others lips, nipping and biting just to hear the small helpless sounds of want that left his desired's lips.

He knew they moved with the music, it their conductor as he pushed the teen into the sheets. Stripped away the layers that kept them apart. Left patterns and marks over his smooth skin and watched his lover fall apart under his hands. Hearing the whimpers of pleasure and need when his fangs lightly scrapped over delicate flesh and saw the pure thrill and fascination that flowed through as the beast came forth and the vampire was evident.

The Original shivered as his young lover traced the veins beneath his eyes, the sensitive skin alight in a way it never was before and if the kiss he gave in return was just a little to tender, well, it would never pass these walls.

Nor would the perfect mewl Jeremy gave as he was filled and the small moans as Elijah thrust into him. The way his heart raced and he gave needy whimper as firm hand wrapped around his throat, pressing just enough to make him work for air as became dizzy off pleasure.

Jeremy begging to be bitten was forever etched into his mind and the taste of his blood would linger his mouth for weeks, everything else paling in comparison. The high as he came a rush he'd never forget and later when he'd showered and was speaking with Elena he questioned why he'd been draw to her in the first place.

He found her selfish and grating, her beauty didn't seem special in the slightest, in fact, all he could think of was a certain pretty boy with warm brown eyes, soft skin and firm muscle.

 _I'll tear you apart  
I'll feed off your heart  
I wanna see your bodies grinding just for me  
I'm just what you need, the perfect disease  
Don't you wanna turn the beauty into the beast?_

Elijah all but bit his tongue as he heard the singing upstairs and he tuned into it rather than the narcissist girl who was trying to convince him to help with something, but he stopped paying any real attention, dismissing himself before she truly annoyed him.

Maybe though, he'd have to come back when she was away.

 **A/N: Song used 'Beast Within' by In This Moment.**


	2. Chapter 2

Elena was furious, Elijah had all but blanked her as she asked for his help keeping the hybrids under control, stopping the from biting and feeding Klaus' blood to their victims before compelling thme but he had left with barely a word and hadn't looked to her with anything other than a slight acknowledgement.

"Well, evidently Elijah didn't give you the right answer." Damon's smug voice came from the hallway because of course he didn't see the problem with what the hybrids were doing, he had even stopped caring about Klaus but Elena knew he was planning something, he had to be.

Probably to kill all the people his hybrids had feed off and turn them into another army completely forgetting that the blood would be out of their system within the space of a few days and that the Original had them under strict orders.

The vampire strolled in without care before he froze in place, taking a deep breath, emotions flickering over his face before he settled into a smirk that would make most people turn and run.

"Little Gilbert! Get down here!"

Elena looked at him sharply and watched as Jeremy came down the stairs, seeming completely normal, dressed all in black, looking confused but like he'd had a good day.

"Yeah?" Jeremy stood at the bottom of the stairs with the other two in front of him, Elena was just as confused but looked pissed off about something and while Damon kept that smirk on his face, there was a sharp edge of condensing that only served to confused the doppelgänger more.

"You are a very stupid boy. You do know this won't end well? What exactly were you thinking?"

Jeremy's expression tightened for a moment at being treated like an idiot who was expecting far more than a one off of hot sex before he gave a smug grin of his own.

"That I was sleeping with the hottest guy in town." And he chuckled as the two were struck slightly dumb by the simple statement. "I didn't do anything I haven't before and if you really want to complain." Brown eyes slid over to Elena. "You may want to re-think it." He watched as his sister only got more lost in the conversation, truly not having a clue as to what was going on before something finally registered.

"You're Gay!" Elena looked at him as if he'd just tried to stab her in the back and he rolled his eyes, for once could she not make this about herself and act as if she had the right to know every little detail of everyone's life.

"Bi if you need a label. Anything else?" Rocking back on his heels he got ready to turn and run, just in case.

"Who did you sleep with?" There she was, poking into his business again. Jeremy huffed a breath and started to turn but never ever got half the way around.

"I'll give you a clue." The teen froze as the vampire spoke, the smugness bleeding back into Damon's voice. "He's a vampire and he was in the house today by your invitation."

It slowly dawned on her just whom they were talking about and her younger brother felt sick at that. This was never going to end well and he wanted to put a stake through Damon for bringing it up, the meddling ass hole.

"You-you slept with Elijah." As she finally started to move the rage took over her. "How could you! He's a vampire! An Original! Could you be any more stupid!" The screech she gave out made them cover their ears and step away from what appeared to be a banshee.

The girl rushed forward and tugged on his shirt until she found the two perfect puncture marks on his right shoulder.

He pushed her back, making her stumble slightly as she went back those few steps. He took several deep breaths, relaxing before he could say anything to hurtful.

"Get off your high horse Elena, you are dating a vampire." Her face spasmed at that, for all her manipulations Jeremy had found she was incredibly easy to play. "And so what if he's an Original, that's the same as saying Stefan's a Salvatore, you've got no room to talk, after all, weren't you trying to sleep with Elijah anyway?" He tilted his head to the side, a small little smirk on his face as she flushed an ugly red.

Elena stammered out denials and something flickered over Damon's face as he watched her reaction before his expression went cold. It was amazing how with a few words you could completely break someone down and get inside their heads.

The teen shook his head with that same smirk on his lips as he left back up the stairs, his sister still trying to justify herself but only digging a deeper hole. Even with his headphones on and the door closed he could still hear her screech of rage as she finally realised she'd lost that battle. Jeremy would have to ask if Banshee's were real.

He was relaxing into the sheets a few hours later, feeling a contentedness that only happened after good sex and earlier had been off the scale.

The peacefulness was destroyed when a certain dark skinned witch burst into his room.

"You slept with Elijah!" Okay apparently there were two screaming women in town because even through the headphones his ears were ringing. He all but ripped them off as he shot up, half choking on his tongue.

"What!" Jeremy looked at her as if she had grown a second head for a moment before the puzzle pieces clicked into place. "Seriously Bonnie. You blow me off time and again and suddenly decide that I'm worth the effort when I've given up." He made a harsh noise in his throat as she once again impersonated Elena.

"I'm sorry Bonnie but you were a re-bound, it's not fair but it's true and I know I'm nothing more than Elena's little brother to you and you're only upset because you take it as a slight. Either because I was with a guy or because I got over it."

The boy couldn't say anything else because she stormed out, slamming the door with force on her way. Well it would seem that he wasn't going to be getting any peace any time soon. Still worth it.

* * *

Elijah stripped out off his suit and stepped into the shower, enjoying the water over his lax muscles and washing away the scent though it hadn't left his own senses.

"Have an enjoyable time brother?" Niklaus chuckled and Elijah knew exactly where his brother stood, back against the door frame and looking out the window. An invasion of privacy to some but between being vampires and the times they'd lived in their concept was very different when it came to each other, at least among the four brothers.

"Indeed, it's merely a shame I had to deal with the doppelgänger afterwards." He wondered how he'd never noticed just how irritating the girl could be.

"Oh and what did Elena want this time?"

In perfect sync they turned to each other with equal looks of exasperation and amusement, they knew exactly why she was so pissed off.

"Though I have been wondering. You spend a lot of time talking with Jeremy and he doesn't hate you like I'd expect." The elder brother had wondered over that quite a bit and had never come up with his own answer.

"I asked him about that. 'If Damon could tell Aunt Jenna was sick you certainly could and she'd rather die like that then not knowing who she is any more. Jules was a werewolf and I know she didn't make her first kill accidentally and as for Elena, well, can you honestly tell me that an Original can't sense magic?' He got it in one when nobody else even came close, he's also the one who convinced me to un-dagger you all." The blond explained, seeming slightly wistful.

Elijah could understand, as much as he loved and knew his brother, he couldn't say that he didn't get fooled by the masks he threw up and he was ashamed of it time and again.

"He's an artist, they tend be brilliant, certainly the case in all the ones I've met."

Klaus shifted in place standing up straight and getting ready to walk away.

"Yes, Jeremy is rather bright and perceptive, unfortunately he can be naïve." The hybrid mused, walking away but still laughed as his brother had the last word.

"My experience says different."


	3. Chapter 3

Jeremy was happy as he worked, moving between tables and the bar as the noise washed over him. It was at that perfect level where it was lively but hadn't reached overwhelming.

It was the kind of crowd where you could easily fall back into it, watch the world go by without anyone seeing you in return.

He'd always been an outsider and to be honest, he prefers it. Most people his age didn't share his interests and in such a small town, well, he didn't fit the box everyone wanted so he was the misfit screw up even before it was true.

He'd had two real friends, Tyler who had fallen away the moment he hit high school, and April who had moved away. So people watching had become his hobby, it was why they'd become his main focus of sketching, trying to capture moods, emotion and history in a single moment.

Right now he was sketching Finn who was sat in corner reading Great Expectations and drinking a chocolate milkshake, Jeremy could respect a man with a sweet tooth, plus when the Original had spotted him looking he'd just given a smile and turned back to his book. That certainly earned him points from the artist.

Moving away from the sketch to wait on a table and get their order, at some point before his final return to the bar Klaus had shown up.

Klaus looked over the sketch, mildly amazed, it took real talent to capture something in such a lifelike fashion. It looked almost like a photo but his brother's emotion poured off the page. The mix of confidence and insecurity, in himself then in the time, his happiness and slight distance as he got lost in the world he read about and the mistrust and rage that lingered in his eyes and while it all sent a pang through his chest, knowing he'd caused it, he wanted to see the moment immortalized.

He wanted a moment where Finn wasn't full of self-loathing or pure rage, he wanted to see him more like the man he remembered from another life, warm and loving and finding the beauty and wonder in the world around him.

"I'd like to finish that if you don't mind."

His head shot up and he saw Jeremy stood there with a soft smile on his lips, arms folded loosely over his chest but he was glad to see the boy wasn't upset with him for grabbing the sketch book. He knew better than most just how private they could be when you poured your thoughts and feelings onto the page. It was even more intimate than a diary at times, it just depended on the sketch it's self.

Handing it back Klaus was served his drink and watched as Jeremy worked, occasionally glancing at his muse. They were fine details that alone wouldn't make difference but together gave it that last shimmer of life.

Klaus zoned out as he thought on his brother, barely noticing Jeremy leaving and returning several times or even the quiet scratch of charcoal against paper and he didn't snap out of it until a gentle hand curled under his chin and made him look up.

Warm brown eyes looked at him with concern and a sweet smile that could make monsters melt, well it worked well enough on himself and Kol. The hand slid along his jaw, behind his ear and tangled lightly in his hair.

"What's wrong Klaus?" The genuine concern from someone who had every right to hate him always caught him by surprise and he wondered if he should be here, tarnishing something so pure.

"Klaus?" He focused on Jeremy again. "Where'd you go?"

The hybrid just shook his head a little and gave a smile to try and remove the worry, a pretty boy like that should only smile.

"Just thinking about something, I'll figure it out. And what's wrong with you Love?" Yes Klaus had noticed the tension in his young friend.

"Fine but if you want to talk I'll be here, and it's Bonnie, Elena, Stefan and Alric. Oh and Damon being a pain in the ass." At the questioning look he elaborated. "You probably already know I slept with Elijah. Anyway, Damon decided to tell Elena so everyone knows now and is giving me hell for it. Though Elena's mainly pissed because I got him and she didn't." Brown eyes rolled at that.

Klaus chuckled through he felt a vague sense of annoyance at the doppelgänger and her friends but that wasn't certainly nothing new, the flash of anger at seeing the weariness was.

In a single moment he could see how everything had affected the once care free teen who's only concern was keeping his grades up and practising his craft so he could get into the art college of his choice.

"Isn't there some rule against sleeping with your siblings crush?" Came the snarky reply and it got a laugh from the brunette and he was so thankful for it.

"Well I wouldn't call it a crush for one and two she does have a boyfriend, I'm not in the wrong here and I refuse to let her make me believe I am." He finished ruefully before moving off for yet another table.

"Good for you Love." The hybrid threw back the last of his drink as Jeremy returned and got a refill before he spoke again. "And why exactly did you sleep with Elijah?"

"Why exactly wouldn't I?" He leaned forward, arms folded on the bar, face only inches away from the blond with a teasing smirk on his lips. "I like danger, I love being bitten and he was hot as fuck and has a voice that makes people weak at the knees."

The minx bit down on his bottom lip, hand curling into the collar of the Original's shirt. Those inviting lips parted, tongue sliding along them to make them wet and shiny and Klaus was starting to contemplate why he wasn't kissing the young man senseless.

"You see _Niklaus._ " The way it rolled off his tongue almost made the blond shiver. "If it wouldn't mess things up between us, I'd let you fuck me in a heartbeat because you're exactly my type, so are Finn and Kol for that matter, at least for in bed."

And then he was gone, back to his work and the immortal chuckled to himself, that boy could make them fall like dominoes.

"I haven't ever heard of or seen you become so attached to someone so quickly." Finn took a spot beside his brother, face seemingly impassive but there were warring emotions in his eyes.

"He's not your average person, he's special." Once again Klaus pilfered the sketch book, freezing as he saw his own image, dazed and uncomfortably vulnerable. In it he could see his own regret and conflict on display. He quickly flipped the picture over, back to Finn's portrait and then handed it to his brother.

Finn was as stunned as his brother had been, not only at the boys talent but at his perceptions.

"I'm going to have to stop leaving that behind the bar." And the sketch book was pulled out of Finn's hands, the page was flipped back and once again handed to the eldest of the Original siblings.

Klaus felt cold as he watched but the elder vampire seemed to be entranced by the drawing and as his fingers lightly skimmed the high grade paper and charcoal the harshness in his eyes softened.

Finn cleared his throat and handed the book back to it's owner before leaving, but not before being treated to that trade mark pretty boy smile, it had the same effect on Finn as the rest of his siblings.

A firm hand tangled in his hair again before his head was tilted up. Jeremy ducked down quickly and placed a soft kiss against his lips. It was a sweet affection that settled something inside him with a scary efficiency.

"Sometimes showing a little vulnerability is what it takes." A simple statement that really shouldn't have had much power coming from a sixteen year old who'd barely lived but then again, it was scary how easily Jeremy could read others. The more you tried to hide the more he saw.

"Stop thinking some much Klaus, it'll work alright."

The vampire just chuckled as he took a sip of his drink. He may not trust most people but, maybe he would soon enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Elijah all but threw his keys onto the hook and it took every bit of his carefully put together composure to remain calm, it was so easily going to be break if just one more, small thing manges to get under his skin.

Business meetings of any kind and managed to last three weeks tended to do that unfortunately and it was no quick fix.

Part of him was happy to find that the house was completely silent, on the other hand it also made a slither of dread curl in his gut and something cold like disappointment circle his heart.

He relaxed however as he read the note that Rebekah had left for him.

 _Welcome back Elijah. Our apologize for not being here however Kol was insistent on going to The Grill and we thought it was best if we went as well._

 _Please feel free to join us but we understand if you'd rather rest instead._

He smiled to himself at that and did consider resting but seeing his family rather won out.

He sorted out his things and dove to The Grill, but unfortunately he could still feel the beast growling in the back of his head, wanting to tear something apart.

As he walked into the over crowded bar he felt the beast snarling at all the noise, obnoxious smells and the thrum of blood, it took the last thread of his control to hold it back.

It was easy enough to find his siblings gathered by the pool table. Niklaus was sat sketching with a drink in hand while Finn was reading and the two sat closer together than they had been before he left, not as close as they use to when social boundaries had little bearing on interaction, but far better than the hostility after they became vampires and more recently.

Rebekah was unfortunately flirting with someone while Kol leaned against the table, watching someone play pool, and suddenly the beast was growling again, but in a very different way as he watched Jeremy bend over the table, almost caressing the cue as he drew back to shoot. The boy bit down on his lip and his shirt stretched across his chest.

Elijah ordered his drink and took his seat before he could think on it to much and watched as Jeremy claimed his bet and found someone else for a game. The two twenties laid on the table were soon put into his pocket and it seemed that the teen always played the same people who couldn't get over a young pretty boy beating them at something, smart boy playing on their pride.

All the while the doppelgänger and her group were watching and glaring at them from the other side of the bar. It seemed she wasn't exactly pleased with them. Stefan was being self righteous as was Miss Bennett and the others all seemed to have their reasons against an individual member of the family if not the whole.

He looked away when he felt eyes on him and realised it was the boy he had been thinking about earlier. Jeremy tipped his head in a short, sharp gesture then turned away and walked towards the back. Elijah didn't even have to think about following and they ended up behind the building completely alone.

Jeremy was pressed against him in a second, sweet, soft mouth against his and Elijah didn't hesitate to trap him against the wall, pouring all that frustration into the kiss.

It was rough and desperate, without his usual finesse though it had all his skill as the vampire dominated the human in a single moment, the younger giving him the submission he desired without question.

Elijah's hands gripped at narrow hips, pressing to bruise and Jeremy groaned, hand tangling in the vampire's hair, guiding his head down until lips connected with the exposed flesh of the pretty boy's throat and he gave an equally pretty moan as fangs sunk through his flesh.

Elijah took deep, needy gulps of the blood that still hadn't left his senses, quenching his thirst, slowing his pace until he was barely feeding and only pulling away because of the teen's trembles.

He almost lost it with what he saw. Full mouth shiny, red and swollen, shirt rumpled and eyes glazed over, just like three weeks ago. It took all he had not to lean down and keep drinking.

The vampire shucked his jacket and rolled up his sleeve before biting it into his wrist and soon enough a warm mouth was wrapped around it, talented tongue lapping at the skin until it healed and every drop of sweet blood was gone.

Jeremy breathed in harshly, shaking with each movement. He felt high in a way he never had, every sense overloading and as he kissed the vampire, the touch, the taste was so much more than before.

Strong hands gripped his thighs and he nearly groaned as he was lifted up as if he weighed nothing and he wrapped long legs around the vampires waist.

Suddenly he was dizzy and his head spun in a sickening way but he forgot that when he felt the soft sheets under him and a strong hand curved around his throat.

Watching Jeremy gasp, arching into his hand as he struggled for breath and writhing against the bed, he couldn't think of anything better in that moment as the teen whimpered, almost begging for more until his lips were turning blue.

The human heaved in breaths, the sudden rush of oxygen make him even more light headed, shaking with the after shocks that almost made him come.

Even so it didn't stop him flipping the original over and straddling his waist. His t-shirt came off and he opened Elijah's shirt with ease, kissing down his neck, chest and abs, nipping at the taught skin just above his belt.

Soon enough the vampire was finding out just how talented that tongue was as Jeremy moved down his length, swallowing it with ease and he rolled his hips up, fucking that blissful mouth until he came, Jeremy moaning lowly around him through it all.

The teen had removed his own clothes and crawled up to straddle the vampires waist, tugging on his shirt until Elijah sat up against the headboard. The vampire chuckled, enjoying his kinky pretty boy and set about working him open, listening to the perfect mewls that escaped gorgeous lips. Though it was nothing compare to the perfect, needy, helpless sound he made as the vampire slid into him, filling him up.

Jeremy buried his head into the crook of Elijah's neck, shuddering at the feeling, rolling his body and rocking his hips to take the vampire in deeper, he felt like a bitch in heat and loved it. He moved to kiss the vampire who took control in a single moment making him whimper, hands gripping the once crisp white shirt. Having Elijah still in his slacks and shirt shouldn't turn him on so much but it was just another thing to make his blood boil.

When the sharp fangs dragged over his throat his hips bucked harshly and Elijah slammed his hips up in response and they truly lost it. Elijah's eyes turned black, the veins around them prominent as his hand wrapped around Jeremy's throat again and it was pure animal lust that burned higher until it exploded in fireworks and after they'd gone out, leaving the sweet embers behind.

It left him trembling and he could feel Elijah breathing against his neck. When they finally pulled back to look at each other, seeing the normally composed Elijah look so wrecked sent a hot flush through him and he was ready for it all over again.

"So, shower?"

Elijah chuckled in reply and easily moved off the bed, brining the teen with him and kiss those perfect lips again.


	5. Chapter 5

Jeremy woke with a groan, sore in so many ways but it felt so good as he looked up. The moment he looked at the clock he felt panic spike through him before he calmed, thinking logically.

He was technically showered and he also knew how to bribe Rebekah into driving him home and then to school so he had about twenty minutes.

Stretching out he stood up and pulled on his own clothes and looked in the mirror, grimacing as he saw the purpling and fang marks on his neck even as he got a thrill out of it. He walked over to the vampire's wardrobe and searched through it before looking in his draws and finding a perfect butter soft black cashmere turtle neck, he pulled his shirt off and replaced it with the sweater, enjoying the feel of it against his skin.

Turning back to the bed his breath caught and he had the urge to say fuck it all and stay. Elijah looked so perfect, relaxed and open that it took everything in him to resist his artistic urges and draw the vampire instead and he almost groaned knowing he couldn't. He took the time to committed every detail to memory before pressing a quick kiss to his temple and leaving.

As he walked down the stairs it was easy to spot the other Mikaelsons and of course they all gave smiles with hints of smirks, all except Rebekah who was just smirking.

"You're going to be late for school." So smug, like he couldn't fix that.

"I have red velvet cupcakes at home."

"Let's go." Rebekah moved in a second, not even bothering to say goodbye to her brothers and they laughed at her for it.

The trip to his home and then to the school was rather straight forward.

But of course nothing in the life of Elena's little brother could run smoothly so of course once classes were over for the day someone grabbed his arm and dragged him into a spare classroom.

"Where were you last night? Stefan said you weren't in the house when he went past." When did Elena's voice get so irritating, and of course it was Stefan who had dragged him in, being the perfect lap dog reporting everything.

"None of your business Elena now if you'll excuse me I'd like to get home. Try and stop me Stefan and I'll throw vervain in your face."

Luckily the vampire believed him, Jeremy didn't want to have to explain the screams because living off Thumper and Bambi would make the vervain burn like acid.

He really didn't want to deal with that right now and just enjoyed the walk back home in a light mist of rain with a pleasantly cool breeze. He could of hung about but he wanted to get home, curl up in the light of the fire and sketch and that's exactly what he did.

He changed into some sweat pants and started on the sketches in his private book, a leather bound journal his dad had bought him when he turned thirteen, he'd almost filled it.

Slowly he let the pencils move over the paper and the first image came to life. It was the noble vampire in an open shirt, slacks undone as he leaned against an ornate head board.

It was enough to make his mouth water but he pushed that aside and started on the second. Elijah was laying in bed, the sheets over his waist, so his well toned back was on full display and one arm tucked under his pillow, his other arm was lightly stretched out, as if searching for something. Jeremy smiled, it was by no means conscious but the vampire's fingertips had been brushing against his arm from where he'd been on his back.

He finished the last details of the perfect, beautiful calm and smiled to himself, playing with the collar of Elijah's turtle neck, absently he wondered if Elijah would let him keep it.

He closed the book and went to make himself a cup of tea, just as took a sip of it he felt someone behind him and saw the original he had been thinking about.

"May I?" He held up Jeremy's journal.

"What do I get in return?" The teen stood up straighter in mock challenge, a smirk on his lips.

"You may keep that turtle neck."

Jeremy chuckled as he saw the amusement on the immortal's face.

"You'd let me anyway, just promise me you won't use it against me." Because in truth there wasn't really anything in it that anybody with half a brain couldn't figure out and it would be nice for someone else to know what had been going on in his head.

"You have my word." And Jeremy knew that promise was worth more than all the gold in the world. He just nodded his head in reply and gestured for the original to take a seat.

Elijah placed himself on one side of the couch and Jeremy curled into the other, looking like a contented cat, watching with a sweet smile.

Unknowingly like his brothers before him he was enchanted by the images with the amount of detail and emotions. They read like a story.

The beginning he saw a happy child, a young girl of about thirteen, probably the age Jeremy was as he drew this, he quickly glance up at the corner of the page and the date confirmed it. While the technique was raw, there was still plenty of details and though not as life like it radiated joy. There was also pictures of his parents and a younger Elena and occasionally her friends, the only dark spot was Tyler Lockwood who always appeared, lost.

The pattern continued until the picture of the young girl became mournful, far away, like she'd gone but there was no evidence of her death so perhaps she moved away.

Interwoven with that were events. Football games, theatre and music performances, even a good number of pages devoted to what appeared to be family trips to New Orleans. He'd have to ask Jeremy if he had more sketches of that.

And as they stop there were scenes of death, pain and anguish and nothing more. Bodies floating in water, a car submerged by the bridge, along with demons and monsters that made him feel sick. The boy was drowning in sadness and no one was helping, he was all alone surrounded by it all and his drawings showed it time and again.

He was distracted when movement came from his side and Jeremy was next to him. The teen reached and wiped away the tears rolling down the vampire's cheeks. Elijah hadn't cried in decades and now he didn't even realise he was doing it.

"I'm sorry." Elijah shook his head ever so slightly and pulled the pretty boy against his side, keeping a firm arm around the younger's waist.

He kept looking through the book as things began to get better. Anna and Pearl appeared, the Salvatores, even Katherine and it was so obvious it was her with how Jeremy seemed to pick apart all of their souls and display them upon the page.

But what really caught his attention was seeing his family. All of their insecurities, thoughts and feeling seemed to be right there and while there must have been more of these drawings in his normal sketch books but this one, this one showed them as they changed the boys life and he was humbled by it and as he set the book down he pulled Jeremy closer, trying to offer what comfort he could.

The teen sighed, relaxing into it and almost purred when Elijah ran a hand through his hair. The vampire chuckled at that and pressed more firmly on the next pass. Jeremy melted, almost moulding to the other man, eyes fluttering in pleasure until he appeared to be dozing, completely separate from the world.

Just for amusement Elijah stopped and Jeremy gave the most adorable whine that made him chuckle and continue.

While sitting in the perfect calm Elijah was struck by a curious thought, why did Jeremy take his turtle neck. He gently tugged the collar down and felt sick at what he saw. The younger's neck was covered in fading purple and he felt ashamed. He usually had more control than this, besides the occasional bite he never hurt his lovers and certainly not to this extent.

A sudden hit to his chest made him blink, looking at the boy in surprise.

"Stop with the guilt, I knew what I was getting in to and I enjoyed it. If I'd wanted you to stop I would have said." Jeremy blinked his eyes open and his brown eyes held their usual warmth, completely unconcerned with the mottled colours over his skin.

The Gilbert tugged his collar free before leaning, up pressing a sweet kiss against the vampires lips. A reassurance that he wasn't a monster like he had thought in that moment, that Jeremy truly didn't care a certainly didn't think any less of him.

"Have you watched American Horror Story?" Well that was random.

"No I haven't."

Jeremy grinned and was up, moving about to put the show on and grab some drinks and foods along the way making the original laugh at the sheer oddness of it all but that didn't stop him settling in and enjoying the show, the pretty boy once again curled into his side.


	6. Chapter 6

Finn was walking through the forest away from town, though things were slowly improving he still found modern life to be far to loud, always with the buzz of electrics if nothing else, the cars in the streets and shear mass of people gathered together in one place, so different from the past.

He was walked out toward the lake and sat on the porch of the Gilbert cabin, he was thankful to Jeremy for giving him somewhere to go and get away from the chaos of everyday life. Just listening to the sounds of nature, louder than they were as a human of course but there was a soothing comfort to them, something familiar that hadn't changed.

"I thought I'd find you here." Kol smirked as he walked forward, a slow and easy pace with a smug grace that reminded him how alike his two youngest brothers could be, why they always butted heads.

"Why were you looking? You certainly don't care for me, you left me daggered in a coffin for nine hundred years." The disdain and anger bled into an other wise flat tone.

"So you could kill your self either with a stake or to be bled dry by a whore who cared for herself long before you?" Came the bitter retort but it was hidden under a mocking exterior, it appeared Jeremy had been right when they'd last talked, everyone of them had their mask and they never bothered to look past them.

"You kept me daggered because you were scared I'd kill myself, because you didn't want to loose me literally or figuratively?"

And there it was, that flicker over Kol's face that told him he'd got it spot on in that and all the anger was gone in a single moment and he felt devastated. With all that self loathing, thinking of himself and his siblings as monsters, he'd completely forgotten about their emotions, that maybe it was hurting them.

He didn't even think as he moved and wrapped his arms around Kol, pulling his brother close, heartbreaking a little as the younger tensed and took so, painfully long to relax and return the hug.

"I'm sorry little brother, I'm so sorry." He whispered it and they just stood there and Finn realised with a sickening jolt that this was the first time they'd hugged since they'd turned, even Klaus and Kol for all their fights had shown more affection than that. "I love you."

And it was the first time he'd ever seen Kol cry and he never wanted to see it again. By the goddess what had he done, he'd spent so long believing that the others were responsible for their family falling apart and he'd never even considered what he'd done.

He chuckled to himself and Kol jerked back to look at him questioningly, a flicker of hurt buried under it.

"I'm sorry, just something Jeremy said." That relaxed the younger original with a strange ease. "He said we're a perfect puzzle together, but the more of us pull away, the more of a mess we become."

Kol burst out laughing at that.

"How can we be so dumb for a thousand year but a sixteen year old figures us out in a few months?" They grinned at each other and for once it was just like old times.

They ended up walk back to the mansion together, occasionally breaking into vampire runs and laughing like children and when they arrived they collapsed onto the back porch.

Soon enough their siblings appeared, handing them a drink each and they relaxed together, feeling like a true family and even though it was just a moment it was one they'd treasure.

The relative silence was broken by Elijah's phone ringing and when he answered it.

" _Hey Elijah. I'm sorry to bother you but something came up."_ Jeremy spoke and the teen sounded worried resulting in all of the originals sitting up ram-rod straight.

"What is it Jeremy?" Elijah forced himself to stay calm.

" _It's Elena, she's convinced Bonnie to find a way to make vampires throw up whenever they drink from a live source and Bonnie did, only it does so by turning the blood into poison. It will kill any vampire or hybrid if they're not strong enough."_

Everyone of them felt the cold as they heard him explain. There was no way that all the vampires in mystic falls could be fed off of blood bags, it just wasn't possible.

" _The up side it seems that they have to be able to cast the spell on the vampire slash hybrid so if you could find some way to block the spell..."_ As Jeremy trailed off he could see the boy biting down on his lip, it was an enticing image but his concern was overwhelming it as both Finn and Kol rushed inside.

"We'll take care of it. Thank you Jeremy." He listened on the line he could hear the human pacing across the floor and he realised just how anxious Jeremy was.

Niklaus snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Pack a bag love, we'll come and get you."

Jeremy gave an affirmative before hanging up and the brothers wasted no time in getting to their friend, Rebekah going in to sort out a room for her chemistry partner.

Driving to the Gilbert house Elijah could hear Jeremy moving about. And moving down the stairs to open the door.

"Hey, come on in." Klaus was stunned for a second, slowly crossing over the threshold. Jeremy continued to pick up a few things, magic books that were focused on wards and runes that he'd marked some pages in.

"Sheila, Bonnie's grandmother gave them to me, she thought it might help me out." Jeremy explained. "Oh stop with that look Klaus, I trust you and the only one who can complain is Elena and she's basically moved into the boarding house so I doubt she'll notice." The boy shrugged and grabbed the two bags, a good sized holdall and his school backpack. "Thanks by the way, for letting me stay with you."

They just brushed it off, they were more concerned with what one of the Salvatore or even Bonnie may do if they found out and lost their temper. Plus it would appear that Jeremy may be some help with this predicament.

It was strange though, to see the teen appear so angry under apparent calm, even the anxiety seemed to have dissipated and in it's place was a kind of cold fury.

"How did you find out about this?" Elijah had to wonder as they settled into the car, he trusted Jeremy but it seemed like a rather stupid move to let him overhear.

"Elena was talking to Bonnie about it when she came by to grab some things." A bitter smirk crossed the pretty boys lips. "Elena is convinced that she is the centre of everyone's universe, she wouldn't even begin to think I'd tell you and the only ones who will question her on that are Damon and Caroline and they're none to pleased." Jeremy shook his head.

"Since the Salvatores showed up Elena has only gotten worse. Suddenly two powerful good looking guys fighting over her and she feels like royalty. Then she finds out she's the doppelgänger, so precious in terms of magic and her blood, and the interest you both showed her and she's the queen of the world."

Jeremy sighed leaning back in his seat, looking far older than he was and neither original could honestly say that it didn't hurt.

"She'll barely register that someone thinks she's wrong, and she certainly won't get why because she is convinced she's right. Elena's also sure that my loyalty is exclusively with her, she doesn't even realise I'm friends with you guys."

The conversation ended as they pulled up to the mansion and Rebekah met them there, surrounding Jeremy in a hug that the human whole heartedly returned, gripping tight enough that as a human Rebekah wouldn't have been able to breath but she didn't complain as the Gilbert slowly relaxed into her arms.

It was no doubt to them that with a boy as loyal as Jeremy was, he was half way to ripping his own heart out because it was like putting dynamite between the Gilberts. Elena would see it as the ultimate betrayal for not siding with her and instead telling them the plan.


	7. Chapter 7

It would seem that Jeremy had been a great help in fact, his knowledge of runes and warding had made it possible to create simple pendants with the right sigil to stop the Bennett witches spell.

Right now the teen was sound asleep, said amulets had already been given to the hybrids and other vampires in the area, the originals included along with Caroline and Damon to be on the safe side, there was no telling how far the doppelgänger would take it.

They could tell Elena was already getting suspicious of Jeremy, finally seeing that he spent most of his school days with Rebekah in his advanced classes, turns out Jeremy was a straight A student who'd skipped ahead.

Then there was at the Grill, Elena had all but started stalking her brother at work, the manager almost kicking her out because she wouldn't stop harassing Jeremy so instead she decided to sit back and glare at her brother and which ever originals happened to be around.

The only peace Jeremy got was when he was at the mansion because no one was dumb enough to bother him there but if he went for a walk he was nearly ambushed. It was irritating to no end and taking a toll on the young artist.

He was getting restless, feeling caged in having to either be with the originals or being interrogated, all he really wanted at the moment was a chance to relax on his own outside of this damn mansion.

They all knew it and Klaus sighed as watched his young friend, the same friend who had taken a thousand years of damages and put them back together until they fit perfectly. Make no mistake the cracks and fractures were still there and it would take time and effort for them to heal, but now they truly had a chance.

What made guilt curl in his gut was knowing that to do that, Jeremy was going against the last family he had. Even if Elena often didn't act like it, he also knew what it was like to be caged in and felt a deep seated sympathy, not a feeling that many could invoke in him. Jeremy was turning them all soft and Klaus couldn't say he minded, who would of thought it.

"He's an angel." Finn muttered, sliding in behind his younger brother and wrapping his arms around Niklaus' waist moulding to his back.

"Yes he is. He's everything we were ever missing." The hybrid sighed, leaning backwards, the wolf within growling contentedly at being so close to it's family. He tilted his head to the side and swallowed hard. Something like dread curling in his gut and his pride stinging but he squashed it down, listening to the little voice in his mind that sounded exactly like a certain brunette.

Finn smiled softly at the action and slowly leaned down, kissing the smooth skin for a moment before biting down as gently as he could, knowing how hard this was for Niklaus and honouring that trust. He drank slowly, savouring the flavour but even more he treasured the way his brother relaxed, almost boneless in his arms.

Removing his fangs he sucked gently for a moment before moving his head to rest against the other.

The elder vampire felt something warm swell in his chest when he looked at his brother, seeing how content the hybrid appeared and he pressed another kiss to his skin, his cheek this time.

He felt eyes on him at that point and looked over to the sofa, seeing sleep hazed eyes with something sharp to them. A soft smile curled his full lips and there was raw affection in his gaze that made them uneasy but unbelievably happy. If someone so good could trust them, care about them, could they really be monster or just different?

"You guys okay?" And there he was, always looking out for others.

"We're good thank you for asking. Asking you that would be a better question." Finn tightened his arms while he spoke, silently asking Niklaus to stay where he was, the beast in him curling up and rumbling happily when he did.

"Just tired, runes are more exhausting then people realise. Especially in bulk." Jeremy smiled, arm under his head and not bothering to move. A little lack luster, like depression was setting in.

"Jeremy." They all looked up as Elijah walked in. He tossed Jeremy a set of keys. "Your bag's in the car and the address is programmed into the GPS, just go straight to the penthouse, the key is on there." They all just blinked for a moment before the teen moved to no doubt follow Elijah's instructions.

Once they heard the car pull away they all gathered in the room and looked at Elijah.

"I thought he would appreciate a weekend in New York." Was the simple explanation and of course Elijah had been spot on.

When Jeremy returned Sunday night he was absolutely glowing and didn't hesitate in walking over to Elijah, sitting in his lap before kissing him deeply.

The original held the teens waist possessively, matching him move for move and maybe giving a little more. When the younger pulled back he rested their foreheads together, eyes sparkling with something like love before pressing a single sweet kiss against the vampire's lips before moving to sit beside him.

"So, anything happened while I've been gone?" The human rested his head on Elijah's shoulder who curled an arm around his waist, hand slipping under his shirt and tracing patterns absently. Jeremy smiled a bit brighter when he realised they were protection rune.

"Unfortunately Stefan and Miss Bennett have convinced Elena that the reason the spell failed is because you informed us of it." Finn sighed and Rebekah shifted into her eldest brother's lap, snuggling in. "Elena decided to confront us in public and is convinced we are controlling you."

The three eldest originals held in growls the younger two didn't bother but Jeremy just shrugged.

"I can't say I'm happy but I'm certainly not surprised. Best just to forget about it for now and deal with it when it happens. For now I feel pretty good and I'm not ruining it for them."

They all smiled at him, it seemed that with more support, Jeremy had started think more before he acted and it was also rubbing off on Kol. Very slowly.

"Anything you want to do?" Klaus question from his chair with Kol sprawled over his legs, he was as much of a cuddle bug as Jeremy.

"Do you have the original Frankenstein movie?" A nod. "I'd love to watch that, you don't get much better then a James Whale horror, especially with Boris Karloff." Jeremy shrugged and Klaus started laughing, slipping out form under Kol and sorting out the movie so they could all settle in the entertainment room and watch.

What Jeremy found truly horrifying was that the formerly daggered siblings hadn't been caught up on horror movie history which resulted in them writing out all the best ones starting from the early 1900s silent classics, the waves of horror through the 30s, 60s and 80s and a few modern gems.

They were fighting over Hellraiser at one point, mainly because Elijah didn't want to give Kol any ideas but he shut up when Jeremy kissed him so Klaus could write it on the list.

They also had American Horror Story and Dexter, Jeremy also insisted on Harper's Island which made them think of Criminal Minds.

Elijah took the list and put it in a draw before they could make it longer, they'd put put at least seventy movies on it and that was just off the top of their heads, never mind if they actually thought about it.

Watching 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari', an incredible silent movie from 1920, they were all grouped together. Klaus and Elijah were sat next to each other on the sofa, Jeremy laying on them who had Kol doing a good impression of a sloth on top of him. Rebekah sat on their legs and Finn was seated on the arm of the chair, half leaning against Elijah who returned the favour.

It was probably only him but later on, Klaus realised that without a thought they'd put Jeremy in the middle of them all, the lynch pin of their fractured family and they'd all fight through hell to keep him safe.


	8. Chapter 8

Monday started the same as the last few weeks, Jeremy woke, ate breakfast with the siblings before Rebekah drove them both to school and they went about the day as normal until his last class, history.

He didn't bother getting up, seeing the looks Alric kept giving him, heck, everyone had realised there was something wrong and his class was filled with self absorbed idiots, in other words, typical teenagers.

Alric looked at him with something between worry and disappointment and Jeremy wanted to wipe it off because he had no fucking right. Plus he was pretty sure Alric was hate fucking Damon, for lack of a better term.

They had complete silence until Elena stormed in the room like a demon on the war path, Stefan and Bonnie following right behind her.

He started timing Elena as she began to pace, wondering just how long it would take her to stop, plus there was only so long Rebekah would wait before she decided to come get him herself. A thousand years old and patience was something she had not developed.

8 minutes 16 seconds.

"Did they compel you? Get a witch to cast a spell? What is wrong with you?" There was a shrill note to her voice as she spoke, arms crossed over her chest and hip jutting out, trying to look intimidating.

"Nothing is wrong with me and there is no spell or compulsion, why would there be?" Jeremy stayed calm, getting pissed off wouldn't help him at all and it appeared the little voice in his mind had started to shape it's self around Elijah.

"WHY WOULD THERE BE!" Oh dear, the banshee was back and out for blood. "You're spending all your time time with _them_." A hot flash of anger sparked through his veins as she spat it. "And you're the only one who could have told them about Bonnie's spell. You would never do that." She put emphasis on the last sentence almost pleading with him.

"You were wrong Elena." She stopped cold looking at him with hurt, betrayal and plenty of anger. "The hybrids weren't doing anything wrong and how do you justify potentially killing one of them when they've done nothing?"

Jeremy had to give Elijah a big thank you when he got back because imitating his calm and put together demeanour seemed to have stopped the doppelgänger in her tracks.

"They're sired to Klaus." Was all she could get out.

"Which ensures they don't kill or do anything else to attract attention." He watched her jaw clench in denial. "You don't know him Elena and you certainly don't know what he'll do next."

"And you do?" That was Bonnie who looked as if she'd eaten something sour.

"I know my friends, right now all Klaus is focusing on is fixing things with his family. The only person that has to worry is Katherine because they all want to rip her apart." The younger teen smirked to himself, to be honest he'd like to help with that.

"He killed your aunt, your uncle and tried to kill your sister. How can you be friends with him?" He could see the ripper start to bleed through Stefan.

"Aunt Jenna had a brain tumour, ask Damon or look at the medical records. Yeah it hurt but it was better than the way she would of gone." He explained, they had to bring up now, it still hadn't stopped hurting. "John had done more than enough to earn his death and Klaus sensed the spell, he knew Elena wouldn't stay dead, even if it was just from Damon's blood."

They all exchanged glances, they'd all been so convinced that he could easily be turned back to them. That he was being forced or coerced they'd never even considerer he was there of his own accord.

"Why Jeremy? Why did you do this?" The look in Elena's eyes was like a punch in the gut but he was done giving in to her and forgiving her, this was one push to many.

"Because you were wrong Elena and I couldn't stand by and let you do something so stupid, that's why." He stood up and looked her in the eye. "As for being with the Mikaelsons? They're my friends and I care about them, and they care about me. If you don't like it that's your problem but I'm not changing my mind."

He heard Bonnie chant and the spell try to wrap around him before it shattered, not being able to affect him. The witch looked as if she'd been hit and was going to throw up from the backlash of it.

"Jeremy, stop and think about this." Alric finally spoke. "They're vampires, they could hurt you. To them you're just a human pet to act as entertainment and be thrown away."

Suddenly the hunter was held against the wall, a very pissed off original holding him by the throat and ready to tear the history teacher to pieces.

"Bekah put him down." He couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice, he'd had a dark sense of humour even before vampires had become reality. "He's not worth the effort or cleaning up the blood."

All but Rebekah turned to him in horror but the blond just laughed, dropping Alric, who nearly crumpled in on himself, before walking over to her best friend and taking his hand, pulling him out of the room.

"That was great Jere." Caroline appeared on his other side with a bright smile and Rebekah glared at her.

"Okay that is enough both of you. I don't know what your problem is but get over it." He sighed to himself. "Your both beautiful and incredible and if this is all about Matt." The looks on their faces confirmed it. "He's still half hung up on Elena and you don't deserve that."

As they went quiet he put and arm around both of them and lead the blonds out of the building, over to Rebekah's car and got both of them into the back before he started driving.

It was only a few minutes and it seemed talking about Elena was the catalyst and they started bitching about her, Bonnie and Stefan. It seemed when they agreed they could be the best of friends which Jeremy didn't find surprising in the slightest.

When he pulled up at his own home he grabbed his clothes bag from the trunk and the girls followed, Rebekah giving a hundred watt grin when he invited her in.

The two blonds folded into the sofa, only really acknowledging him when he got them drinks.

He rolled his eyes and went about checking the mail and making sure that everything that needed doing in the house was done before he did some of his homework before he left for work.

They barely even noticed and Jeremy found the whole thing hilarious.

"So you really are helping Mikaelsons?" That was the first thing Elena said to him as she walked up to the bar.

"I'm helping the vampires and hybrids in town who haven't done anything, the Mikaelsons could help me with that." He explained and her face went completely cold, icey fury that she couldn't let out.

"You are not my brother any more." And she walked away leaving younger Gilbert behind. He turned away from the bar and sunk down into the staff room sofa and started crying, heaving in breaths that wouldn't come as he tried to hold himself together.

He wasn't sure how long he was there before he managed to stop crying and now he just felt numb. Lena, one of the other wait staff came through the back and he realised they must have been checking up on him.

"Oh sweetheart." She sighed, looking at him with a sad smile. "You look like a wreck."

He laughed at that, a little hysterical but it was good and made it easier to drag the oxygen in afterwards.

"Come out when you're ready and that means if you're not stay here." He started to protest. "And if you feel guilty about not doing anything for this shift you can check inventory for me." With a warm smile she was gone again and he decided to do just that to get his mind off of everything, he just needed a little time to think and let it sink in.

It hurt like a physical ache, pulsing and twisting constantly so he couldn't forget about it. But at least being busy meant he didn't have to focus on it for now. He had an idea that this would happen, heck he knew it would but.

No matter what there had been that small part of him that hoped he was wrong, that maybe Elena would see sense and not cut him out of her life and it hurt even more than he'd expected. It reminded him of how he felt after his parents died but that was them being murdered by a homicidal vampire, this was Elena choosing to leave and taking the last of his family with it.

Every so often one of the other workers would look in or bring him something but they didn't push or try to get him to talk and he was grateful for it.

Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder and he jumped a mile, hearing a musical laugh behind him from someone he hadn't realised he needed to see so much.

Elijah pulled him into a hug and held him, keeping him together and easing some of the pain in his chest.

"Your friend Lena called, said you needed someone to pick you up." Jeremy looked at his watch and realised his shift had just finished. Elijah just smiled again, leading him out of the back and drove him to the mansion.

Klaus set up another movie on the list and the Mikaelsons surrounded their human without thought, all keeping contact with him in some way, offering what comfort they could.


	9. Chapter 9

When Jeremy woke there was a perfect moment of peace, just like after his parents had died, then yesterday came crashing down. In truth most of it was a blur that was anchored by seven words and the twisting pain in his chest that had slammed back in full force like a gaping tear.

He clutched at his chest, trying to drag air into his lungs, short and ragged and tears started to fall as he suffocated under the panic attack.

He never felt himself being moved, never heard the soothing words or soft hands against his skin trying to sooth the pain away. What he did feel was the sharp fangs sinking into his skin and the pain was a burst of clarity that let him breath and then there was a stinging itch that lingered and he savoured it, silently thanking someone when it turned into a burn that made him tremble.

Wiping away the tears he realised that Finn was on one side of him, nuzzling into his neck, murmuring sweet nothings that made him smile and on the other was Klaus, slight traces of blood around his mouth that he wiped away quickly. So the burn was the werewolf venom coursing through his veins. What did it say about him that it felt so good? Oh yeah he had a masochistic streak and a love for danger that was getting to be unhealthy.

Klaus pressed a kiss to the wound before copying his brother and the human relaxed into them, breathing and thinking, letting everything sink in, starting to adapt to it while he had something to keep him stable.

He knew it was a while before Kol dived onto the bed and they started laughing, the elder originals throwing pillows at him. He let himself fall back as feathers started to fly and Kol started screeching for mercy, laughing as his brothers tickled him.

He watched as they fell into a pile on the bed, surrounded by feathers and made sure to etch each detail into his mind, it was a moment he had to capture. He leaned over and grabbed one of his sketch books and began.

Absently he noticed them moving about the room, bickering with each other until they were finished clearing the feathers away and making sure Elijah wouldn't kill them.

Every so often his hand drifted up, brushing over the bite, a small surge of pleasure spreading through his vein, he knew it would have to be healed but he really didn't want to.

Kol chuckled to himself before draping himself over their human. Yes he was theirs and nobody was going to say different. Wrapping himself around the teen, nuzzling into his stomach, knowing Jeremy would pay attention to him once the sketch was done.

There was the sound of a book connecting with the side and a hand weaved through his hair.

"Okay what are you up to?" The teen jumped as teeth nipped his abs through his shirt. Jeremy narrowed his eyes as Kol grinned up at him.

"Nothing, just love knowing you're a masochistic." The youngest original teased moving up the humans body until he was at eyes level.

Jeremy nodded slowly before a grin spread over his lips and it made the original shiver as the hand in his hair tightened.

Suddenly Jeremy moved, biting down hard on the junction between the vampires throat and shoulder and relished the moan he made and the taste of blood on his tongue as he broke the skin.

He rolled them over, biting down harder, making him moan again and Kol's body bucked, wanting more friction but the human pulled back with a blood stained grin and left him there. Kol finally registered his brothers who were laughing at him.

"I hate you both."

They just laughed harder.

In the shower Jeremy groaned, letting the water loosened the last of the tension out of his muscles. The sting on his shoulder made him moan and he realised how long it had been since he had sex and right now he really wanted it.

He leaned back against the tile and sighed, bringing his hand up to his shoulder, pressing into the wound and feeling his heart race. The burn was incredible and spread out over his entire shoulder, and his wound throbbed in the most delicious way.

It was a slow build of pleasure with the prolonged pain as he tightened his grip, beginning with shivers that turned into trembles. His whole body slowly lighting up as the pain created pleasure until he was on the edge, just needing that one last push.

He brought his arm up and clamped his teeth down on it, the sharp searing pain as he almost broke the skin and it was just enough to make his eyes roll back as he came.

Jeremy gasped for breath as the world came back into focus, sliding down the tiles as cum and venom tainted blood slid down the drain.

Forget drugs, there was no high like pain and even as the come down made him shake, nearly sobbing as the tears rolled down it was perfect, because even with the crash he could let his emotions out without feeling like he was going to shatter, he wished he'd discovered this before his parents died but it was unfortunately one of the upsides to having all to violent vampires in his life.

As he slowly levelled out the brunette stood, stretching as best he could without making the bite bleed more, it was a waste without somebody to drink it before he cleaned up properly.

Jeremy had just shut off the shower and tied a towel around his waist when there was a knock on the door, it slowly opened and Klaus looked through, a smile on his lips.

"You okay Jeremy?" There was a slight worry edging his otherwise light tone and it made Jeremy give the blond that sweet, soft smile that made the originals melt, dear goddess what have they become.

"I'm good Klaus, thanks." The vampire walked forward, sliding his arms around the younger's waist as the human studied his shoulder.

The wound was darker than it should have been and the skin around it paler, hardly noticeable but his artists eye picked it up without difficulty, of course the main give away to himself was the ever spreading burn that was starting to enter his lungs and making it hard to breath.

"Though I do have a question. Why are you guys the only people who don't call me Jere?" And it was a fact, even Rebekah and Kol had started calling him that.

"Why don't you call me Nik?" Came the rebuff.

"That's different." The brunette shook his head slightly. "Only your family calls you Nik, it's special, with me Jere just means familiarity."

Klaus chuckled, biting into his wrist and bringing it up to the teens lips and repressed a shiver as that talented tongue traced patterns over his skin, sucking lightly as warm brown eyes fluttered closed.

"You make a fair point Jere." The teen grinned, moving out of his hold to grab another towel and rubbing it over still dripping hair. "But just so you know I don't mind you calling me Nik."

When Jeremy looked at the Original again it was like he was the sun, bright and warm, pulling everything into his orbit.

"Thanks Nik." And he leaned forward, kissing the hybrid the same way he always did, like Niklaus was something valuable, to be treasured and he did it to all of them and for that alone, they'd never let him go.

"No love, thank you." The blond gently cupped the humans head, drawing him into a long slow kiss. Gentle caresses that made Jeremy shiver, a soft moan slipping free.

The pretty boy blushed the most adorable shade of pink before kicking the original out so he could get changed.

Klaus however was floating on cloud nine and didn't even care when Kol started teasing him, Finn just sitting back with a book in his hand, catching up on the things he'd missed.


	10. Chapter 10

Rebekah and Jeremy were laid out on the floor, books scattered around them, Kol draped over the human's back as the two students worked on a history paper.

Even though Rebekah had lived through it, Klaus had gotten the biggest kiss when Jeremy had found out he built the French Quarter, New Orleans was his favourite city, they were both happy to go over it all.

They'd been assigned to look at the history of any city of their choice and look at how it's past shaped it's future. Jeremy told stories of his families trips to New Orleans while Rebekah let him know about the vampire roots of the city. They both became a bit fixed at points but Jeremy saw through it all.

"What did you do Bekah?" It stopped all the vampires in their tracks from the sadness in his tone and watched as the girl scrambled up, sitting there like a deer in the headlights.

"What? What do you mean Jeremy?" And they knew he was right as she seemed more and more fearful.

"Rebekah?" It was Elijah as he drifted further into the house, still in his damp black suede jacket. Rebekah looked around at them all, tears gathering in her eyes before she started to cry, nearly sobbing.

"I'm sorry Nik. I'm so sorry." She sobbed, hands grasped over her mouth. It was Jeremy who reached up, gently clasping one of her hands in his.

"I'm the one who summoned Mikael." She sobbed harshly again. "It was my idea." Klaus went completely cold, like he was made of marble but the hurt and betrayal in his eyes spoke volumes.

"Why?" Jeremy barely heard the hybrid but he knew the others would hear clearly.

"I was so angry, we wanted to be together. We thought the summoning ritual didn't work so we never said anything." She kept crying, shaking as Klaus left at vamp speed and slammed a door.

"Finn would you mind taking Rebakah to mine and then come back?" The eldest Original sibling nodded once and carefully picked up his sister. Normally Jeremy wouldn't but he grabbed a glass from the bar and put in a shot of tequila and threw it back, the burn soothing as much as the alcohol.

It was only when Finn returned that he had the other two brothers tell him about New Orleans.

How Klaus built the city how it pushed them together and tore them apart but more importantly about Marcellus. The abused slave boy Klaus had rescued and taken in as his own, that he had loved and cared for with all his heart and never harmed in anyway until Marcel and Rebekah fell in love.

Klaus had refused to let them be together and from there the plotting must have begun, they'd summoned Mikael and never mentioned it when it appeared not to work, because why bother, they'd end up facing Klaus' wrath after all.

Then Mikael had showed up, torturing Marcel and presumably killing him, letting Klaus become twisted even further by anger, grief and self hatred and Rebekah had never told him the truth, that the loss of Marcel was her fault, not Klaus'.

"Great, do you guys mind doing some things for me?" Jeremy asked looking at them with pleading eyes, he still hadn't gotten that they'd do anything for him but then again he never asked for anything.

"Whatever you need." That came from Finn and the others nodded in agreement.

"Elijah, Finn, would you mind taking a trip to the Big Easy and see if you can find out a bit more about what happened and what's going on there. Kol can you go stay with Rebekah, you're all welcome in my home at any time."

They smiled at him, Kol leaving straight out the door while the other two grabbed bags to take with them on their trip.

"Jeremy." Elijah trailed off. "Be careful." He finished, not entirely sure what to say.

The teen smiled at him, standing and walking the noble vampire kissing him like a lover who was going away for awhile. It was intense, passionate but simple and it made the elder feel dazed even as Jeremy moved away and placed a similar kiss on Finn who seemed to feel exactly the same as his brother.

"Go, I've got this, trust me." They just smiled as they went to the car and Jeremy waited about ten minutes before he went up stairs.

He didn't bother with the bedroom, he knew Klaus would be in his art studio.

Slowly opening the door he stepped through only to find himself slammed against the wall, a hand around his throat and staring into black and yellow eyes and his bodies natural reaction did the rest to appeal to the hybrids baser nature.

The kiss was harsh as hands gripped the younger's thighs, bruises pressed there in seconds. It was desperate, animalistic and Jeremy groaned, wrapping long limbs around the blond, feeling the wood panelling dig into his back as they moved against each other, Klaus taking everything he could while Jeremy gave everything in turn.

When Jeremy woke up he was under a thin blanket on top of the thin white sheet speckled with dry paint he was confused for a moment as to why he felt so weak. He realised the moment he tried to move. His lungs burned and it spread through his entire body, the most noticeable point at his throat.

Even his vision was blurred but he could make out a certain blond not far in front of him. It took all of his strength to reach up and grip the hybrids' arm and try to speak, but all that came out was a whimper but it was enough for the originals enhanced senses.

In his haze of pain Jeremy never noticed the hybrid awake, nor the curses that came out fluently in that all to smooth manor or even the blond move, the first thing he noticed was the sensation for skin against his lips and something wet sliding down his cheek. It took longer than he'd like to recognize the taste of vampires blood and force himself to swallow but the affect was almost instantaneous.

As the pain receded and he could move his hand gripped the others wrist and he sucked on the wound desperately, gulping down the blood like a drowned man gasping for oxygen.

When he finally pulled back every ache had faded and his senses were sharper than normal, an effect of the blood no doubt. He could feel Klaus pressing kisses to his skin and felt a little sick at himself when he realised they were apologies.

The human pulled himself up, still a little tangled in the blanket and cupped the others face and kissed him, making it as sweet as possible, pouring all the positive emotion he could into it.

When Klaus started to kiss back the hybrid let out small half moans, fingers sliding through soft brown hair as he slowly took control of the kiss and it was Jeremy's turn moan, arms moving to circle the blonds neck.

Neither were sure when they ended lying down again, the human under the vampire, but neither minded.

As the elder leaned down for another kiss Jeremy turned away, but the pretty boy still had his smile so the original wasn't worried.

"Have I got your attention?" Long artist fingers brushed over the hybrids' cheek, more intimate than anything they'd done that night. He nodded once.

"Me waking up like that is not your fault." Klaus opened his mouth to protest but Jeremy's glare could of put a man six feet under. "You were distraught and I was the one with the clear head. I should have thought about it and gotten your blood earlier." And look just dared him to question that, how could their pretty boy be that scary. "But there is no harm done, I'm absolutely fine and even though I don't like relying on it I've always got my ring as a last resort."

There was a heavy but not an uncomfortable silence that settled over the room before Klaus let out a huffing breath of laughter, grinning at his new lover.

"You know Love if you ever wanted to you could have the world on it's knees ready to do what ever you wanted." A smirk covered his lips as he watched Jeremy blush that perfect pink and looked somewhere between sheepish and astonished, the teen was truly oblivious to just how much power he held. Then again Klaus knew that even if Jeremy realised that he had every one of the siblings at his beck and call he'd never take advantage of it.

"All I ever really wanted was to belong, with you lot I have that, the world is nothing in comparison."

And Klaus kissed him before the human could make him any more emotional.


	11. Chapter 11

Hours later after a very long shared shower Klaus had gone to use his art studio for its intended purpose while the human had gone to his room to catch some more sleep. He didn't wake until the sun was bright in the sky and he was thankful that the principle had agreed to let him have the week off now that he'd gotten his act together and had done the extra credit to get his GPA up.

The first thing he did was reach for his phone and dial Kol.

"Hello mate, how is Nik doing?" To most people Kol would have sounded normal but Jeremy could hear the concern hidden there.

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen him this morning and last night I mainly distracted him, we'll see how it goes."

"When you say distracted?" The vampire teased.

"Jealous?" He couldn't keep the smile off his face, it felt like one thing after another still but at least there had been less bodies, and no, he was not saying that out loud.

"Why wouldn't I be? I bet he had one of the best nights of his life."

"Aw, so sweet, did I really make that much of an impression?" He shot back and heard laughter on the other end.

"Yes. Then again I had been in a coffin for a hundred years so maybe I'm wrong."

Jeremy couldn't stop the offended sound that came out of his throat as he sat up and Kol started laughing.

"You are an ass." He told the vampire plainly. "And if you wanted to sleep with me again, next time just kiss me." Jeremy huffed falling back into the sheets.

"Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you have to be difficult, it's in your DNA." And yes he was sure of that, it must be an ingrained trait of the Mikaelsons. "So how's Rebekah?"

All that mirth must have drained out of Kol in seconds because there was none of it when he next spoke.

"She's either been silent or crying before she went to sleep, she hasn't woken up yet."

Jeremy closed his eyes in pain, jaw clenching for a moment.

"Well at least she realises she was wrong, that's something I can work with. I just want to know why she thought it was a good Idea, did she just think Mikael would chase Klaus away because from what little you've told me it was more likely he'd just kill you all." He shook his head, getting worked up wouldn't help any of them.

"Fools in love." Came the reply and Jeremy snorted, a harsh bitter sound.

"I guess, I know that feeling and I wasn't in love." He sighed. "Keep an eyes on her, don't push and just try and keep her calm, take her out if you need to she's not on house arrest." The teen thought on what he'd just said, wincing when he realised it sounded like an order.

"Sure thing mate. I'll see you later Jere."

Jeremy said his goodbyes before hanging up and dialing Finn.

"Hello Jeremy, how is everything in Mystic Falls?" The pleasant but tired voice came over the line.

"About as best as can be expected and I'm fine because I know you're worrying." He relaxed a little as he heard the soft chuckle, melting a little into the sheets. "So how are things in the Big Easy?"

"Not good, there are plenty of our kind and witches but none of them want to talk to us, we did find out that Marcel is alive, in fact he's ruling the city." Jeremy hissed, suddenly having a deep seated hate for Marcel.

"Great, well, keep Elijah from killing anyone, I know it's unlikely but when it comes to all of you he starts to get more vicious." Finn hummed in agreement. "And go to the Black Bayou, it's a bar on the edge of the quarter next to the garden district. Marie Gerard and Nikolai Rowan are the owners and they'll help you."

"Oh?" That was Elijah who sounded interested.

"It's where we use to stay when we went there. They started teaching me about magic, only about it though, didn't want me messing around with something I didn't understand." He trailed off wistfully. "I use to sit at the bar and draw the crowd at night so they got to know me pretty well, always dreamed about living there." He finished.

"Very well, we will look into and try to get an audience with Marcel."

"Elijah, please keep your cool, Klaus deserves to know what happened and what was going through Marcel's head no matter how bad it is." And he heard the originals sigh because both of them wanted to rip the young vampire apart, it seemed that while strengthening their bond made them calmer in general but when it came to outside threats of any kind they were slowly but surely getting more vicious.

Remember Jeremy the original vampires also share a werewolves pack mentality, he couldn't wait to tell them that.

"Take care of them and yourself Jeremy." Finn spoke with a concerned edge and the teen chuckled, touched by it.

"I will and be careful, you may not be vulnerable to the vampires but I'm sure there are werewolves hanging about and a lot of witches, I don't want to think about what they could do to you." Great he sounded like a panicked wife who husbands were going away, perfect. And husbands, he wanted to laugh at himself.

"We will don't worry."

"Okay good bye." Bit down on his tongue not to keep speaking he would not get over emotional and ruin this whole thing because he was dumb and got attached to easily.

The originals replied in the same and were gone and he felt suddenly like his skin was to tight, why did he have to fall hard and fast for anyone who reached out to him, and four brother, could this get any more fucked up.

He stood up and got changed, then went to eat before he went to find Klaus, who wasn't in his studio. There was a hidden door down stairs and the human walked down without thought.

He was amazed.

The underground basement was filled with antiques from furniture to tapestries, vases and statues but more importantly than it all were the priceless works of art that completely enthralled him. They varied in theme and style but it was obvious that Klaus preferred the more classical styles of art that was built on emotion rather than just being paint on a canvass.

He loved just looking them over, almost completely forgetting why he was there and he did when he found a particular painting that caught his attention.

He felt sick as he looked at it.

It was a sea of grey that screamed out loneliness, it made him feel cold inside, almost like a piece of him was being carved out and ripped away.

He jumped as a firm hand landed on his shoulder and whipped around to see Klaus stood there looking concerned, reaching up to wipe away the human's tears. Jeremy hadn't even realised he'd been crying.

The human glanced between the painting and the original. He watched as comprehension dawned on the hybrid, because the painting was his soul on display and who else could both recognize his work and understand what it meant.

Warm hand cupped his cheeks and tilted his head up just a little so the taller could kiss the elder.

Now it was the hybrids turn to cry because the way Jeremy was kissing him, he felt like he was worth the world, the strong hands moved, arms curling around his body and holding him as if he were something precious.

He moaned and let his own arms wind around the humans neck, tugging him impossibly closer and he hadn't felt this loved in centuries.

Jeremy eventually pulled away, chest heaving with the need to breath, kissing along the hybrids jaw, down his throat before claiming his lips again just the same as the first, sweet and slow, tongue stroking the inside of his mouth and pouring how much he cared for the immortal into every movement.

He pulled back with several short, loving kisses.

Blue eyes looked at Jeremy with something like wonder and it honestly hurt that Klaus thought he was so unworthy of love, that nobody did or truly could, and he would do anything to fix that.

"We love you Nik, don't ever forget that." He whispered wiping away the original's tears before placing one more deep kiss on soft, cool lips and simply hugging the man.

He also treasured the moment as much as he hated it, that the immortal was showing him so much trust, letting himself be vulnerable and Jeremy would take that to the grave and beyond no matter what happened.

He stayed there as he spoke, gently coaxing Klaus into telling his side of the story, all the words being whispered into blond strands while the hybrids own were murmured into the humans skin, breath tickling his throat.

He learned every fear, every insecurity, every major wrong and the reasons why and when it was over Klaus looked at him with so much fear that it felt like his heart was being ripped out.

Without hesitation the human reached up and undid his vervain bracelet, dropping into the pocket before looking the hybrid in the eyes, no hesitation, no judgement and a clear invitation but the blond shook his head before taking the human's hand, pulling him further into the many chambered and floored basement, taking him on a tour of all the works he had collected over the centuries.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm a little nervous on this one so please let me know what you think.**

Finn and Elijah weren't enjoying their time in New Orleans which was a shame considering how much Elijah loved the city and Finn was beginning to. They had been stone walled at every turn and weren't yet willing to use their Original status to get what they wanted.

They were getting increasingly frustrated until Jeremy had called, the moment Finn had heard his voice it was like all the tension had drained out of the vampire.

It sacred him a little how well the teen knew them but it was reassuring in a strange way. Even the fact that the human was the one to consider that Elijah was likely to kill someone, once it was pointed out it was obvious.

After they hung up Finn decided it was time to step up as the eldest and actually take care of his siblings. Now that he no longer ignored what he was the elder had easily adapted to use it his advantage and he'd learned most of it from a certain brunette they'd started to revolve around.

Elijah was thoroughly surprised when strong arms curled around his waist, pulling him against a firm body. Hearing Finn chuckle and seeing his smile made him relax a little but it did nothing to settle the primal anxiety of the beast.

When Finn ducked down he felt the gentle kiss against his jaw, the sensitive spot just bellow it and further down his throat, sliding just past his collar making the beast snarl, wanting to fight the threat but soon enough the beast whimpered, trusting and submissive for the moment as Finn all but forced it to realise he was trust worthy.

One thing they had learned but never acknowledged was that their vampiric sides were nothing but animals, they were ruled by the laws of beasts and the more they ignored those rules the worse things became. These intimate touches that to their remaining human sides were lovers caresses to their beasts, they were simple reassurance that they needed to survive.

So when Elijah let their lips connect, moving in an easy tandem it wasn't anything untoward, it was simply comfort, affection and trust, something all the originals had deprived one another and themselves of far to often.

In Mystic Falls however the tension between siblings was still unsteady. Kol understood being angry at Klaus but there was a difference between that and summoning Mikael to potentially kill them all and destroying the safe haven Klaus had built, it was rattling around his head and he still didn't have an answer.

"Was Marcel's supposed love really worth more than Nik?" He didn't even realised he'd said it out loud until he got a reply.

"I thought it was." Rebekah drifted slowly into the room before folding into the armchair, looking pathetically sorry for herself. "I honestly thought that Marcel would stop me feeling so lonely." She gave a bitter snort. "It took a human teenager to make me realise how wrong I was."

"You were as much the problem as Nik, or me, or Elijah and Finn. You never learned how to survive without being the centre of attention, you never tried." When Kol finished his sister looked at him with something between anger and shame, angry for having her faults thrown in her face and shame because she knew it was true.

"Do you think Nik will forgive me?" Rebekah bit down on her lower lip and worried it between her teeth, tugging on the hem of her shirt.

"If you'd asked six months ago I'd of said never but now..." He trailed off, Jeremy had already proven he can work miracles, goddesses knew what he could do this time.

Rebekah snorted softly, more like a huff than anything. They were silent from there, both contemplating what would happen, the rift in their family seeming to have been torn open again and doubled in size but the strange thing was, they were for once worried about what to do next, normally that was just Elijah and the beasts in them howled and screamed at the thought of being taken away from one another.

A world away from the small town in the Crescent City two of the brothers stood opposite from a man appearing to be in his mid twenties. The former slave boy stood with defiance but there was an uneasiness there, knowing he was completely out classed as they stood in the cemetery.

"Hello Marcellus." There was warring anger and hope inside the noble original. He was furious with the man but also, he was nearly as much his son as he had been Klaus'. "How have you been?"

"Well enough but we both know you didn't come here to exchange pleasantries Elijah. What do you want?" Marcel lifted his chin, a small show of arrogance.

"You summoned Mikael." The simple statement from the eldest vampire made the youngest rock back on his heels, suddenly understanding that there was one wrong move between him and death.

"You also never had the decency to inform Niklaus that you were alive afterwards." Elijah continued and saw the sweet, strong boy he once knew.

Marcel looked at the ground like chastised little boy, a small, barely visible flush on his cheeks.

"I thought he knew, that's why he didn't come back. He didn't want me."

Some of the anger leached out of the brothers but it was far from gone.

"And your reason for summoning Mikael in the first place?" Finn stepped forward but not for intimidation like it seemed, instead it was so he could be closer to Elijah, offering what comfort he could.

"I, Rebekah said that Mikael wouldn't be able to hurt him, just chase him away, I was stupid or delusional enough to believe her." When Marcel looked up he met Elijah's eye and there was nothing but pure disappointment there. It made the king flinch and want to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness but the originals were already gone.

Elijah was shaking, almost vibrating as he took off his jacket, the tie following in jerky movements. He had the insane urge to laugh as failed to unbutton his shirt.

Finn was suddenly in front of him and swiftly unbuttoned it and pushed the crisp white linen off his shoulders, pushing the younger against the wall.

When strong hands cupped his jaw and firm lips kissed him Elijah didn't hesitate pulling the elder against him and pouring all the frustration into the kiss.

Since becoming a vampire Finn could honestly say up until now he'd never had bruised lips, now they felt sore and used. His hand drifted down, gently gripping his brothers hip, leather brushing the side of it as his thumb drew circles into smooth skin.

The tremors of emotion slowed eventually, the kiss changing with them until their lips merely brushed, the room standing silent around them, their breathing echoing loudly.

When they looked at each other, for the first time since they were children Finn could see his little brother, not the strong in control man that Elijah was everyday but the small boy who use to curl into his side, scared by the wind and howl outside their home. The little boy that rested against his chest looking like an angel that needed to be held, protected.

How had he not noticed that, that boy had never gone away. The sweet angel buried but still there and wanting his big brother to hold and care for him.

He kissed Elijah softly, an apology, before hugging his little brother to him, cradling him like he use to Elijah snuggled in, just like he use to all those centuries.

"I love you 'Lijah."

"I love you too Finn, I missed you."

Finn just squeezed a little tighter.


	13. Chapter 13

Jeremy was in class on the Thursday, not wanting to miss more school than he had to, he also gave Caroline some cookies for bringing his work to the mansion.

Right now he was going through classes like normal but he could feel eyes on him all the time, hostile glares against his back and they hurt but he wasn't going to let it stop him living his life.

"Hey Jere." Caroline caught up to him at first break. "So what exactly happened with you and this..." She waved her hand around in a vague everything gesture.

The boy held out his arm and she looped her own through it.

"What exactly do you want to know?" They drifted outside, away from the crowd of students.

"How about your friendship with the originals and the fact you've slept with at least Kol and Elijah." She said with a bright grin, being a vampire meant she'd heard them making out around the back of the Grill.

"Well, when I met Klaus, he just seemed so alone, like he was drowning in it and I knew exactly what that was like. I had to help him, I couldn't not." The smile the vampire gave him was like a proud sister, god he missed that look.

"I met Kol a few days after they were all undaggered. He flirted, I flirted back and we clicked, neither of us was interested in a relationship so we became friends and occasional hook ups." Caroline laughed brightly as Jeremy gave a sharp grin. "And of course Rebekah is my chem partner so I got to know her."

Jeremy paused, his grin turning even sharper and Caroline shivered, if she hadn't thought of Jeremy as a little brother, well, there'd be one more vampire after him.

"As for Elijah." The boy bit down on his lip, groaning. "Well, he shows up in your room and makes a move, are you going to say no?"

The blond burst out in giggles, doubling over and clutching at the brunette to keep up right. Tears were streaming down her face as she tried to breath, necessary or not.

"Oh my God! Really?" She couldn't stop the giggles that were coming out silently now.

"Yep!" Jeremy popped the P. "I was home alone and dancing to In This Moment, next thing I knew Elijah was behind me, dancing with me and sing it to." He got a dreamy look his face as he thought. "If you think he normally can make your knees weak, singing..." He trailed off and watched as she collapsed onto a bench, arms hugging her stomach. "It kind of went from there."

Jeremy grinned waiting for her to calm down, the blond wiping away her tears and gladly accepting the drink he offered, using it to regulate her breathing.

"Right, so Finn?" She was fighting back more giggles.

"He spent a lot of time at The Grill, watching the world go by and trying to understand it, he was as lost and lonely as Klaus but for different reasons. I helped by nudging him in the right direction, telling him a bit about the cultural shift and giving him some classic stories to read that bridged the gap." At her questioning look he listed off a few names including a few Charles Dickens, Robin Hood and a personal favourite in The Three Musketeers.

Caroline nodded her heads, back to herself and gently grabbed Jeremy's hand, squeezing lightly, warm smile on her lips.

"And Elena?" Jeremy flinched, paling and looking ill. He closed his eyes in pain for a moment, letting out a deep breath through his nose before he looked at her again, sliding onto the seat next to her

"I didn't side with her. Klaus and the hybrids weren't doing anything wrong, they shouldn't have to suffer because of her deciding that she knows better than anyone else." He sat next to her, body slumped and sliding a hand through his hair, he looked defeated and Caroline did the only thin she could, hugged him, hoping to make it better.

"And now, Rebekah did something, far worse than just daggering, I think it will be okay but it tore Klaus apart because it wasn't just her. It was his adopted son as well." Jeremy shrugged his shoulders, he felt so stressed and it felt like it was slowly crushing him but on the other hand, he felt like he could actually get through it, something he'd never truly believed before.

"You'll get through it Jere, I know you will." He smiled at the blond before standing, offering his hand to the vampire and helping her up, for now they had classes.

Nothing of note happened through the day until he returned to the mansion. In the door way stood Kol and inside the hallway there were several broken antiques that made him wince but what really caught his attention was Rebekah sobbing into Klaus' shoulder, the blonds whispering to each other.

Jeremy didn't have a clue what they were saying but from what he could see this was their healing and he wasn't going to get in the way of it. The human took Kol's hand and gently tugged him along.

They walked slowly through the forest, fingers linked as they walked until they reached a small pavilion.

They'd barely stepped into it before Jeremy felt himself pressed one of the columns and kissed, a questing tongue sliding into his mouth.

Kol pulled back with his eyes shining with lust. The human grabbed the vampire's waist, twisting to push him against the pillar. The elder moaned as the other took control of the kiss before he felt the bite at his throat, body bucking as the perfect pain and pleasure mixed.

Jeremy chuckled, pressing closer and sliding a thigh in between the vampires legs, watching as Kol moved against him, already chasing his release.

"Hedonistic _slut._ " Jeremy's voice made the vampire moan, hands grabbing at the human who was pressed against him. Kol felt a hand slid under his shirt, caressing his skin, the other twining in his hair, tugging sharply.

"So desperate to get what you want I bet you have all kinds of fantasies rattling around in your head." The Gilbert bit down on his lip as he watched the vampire writhe. "And I know you Kol, the more it's considered wrong, the more you want to do it."

He gave Kol's jaw a sharp nip, drawing his attention.

"How much does it get you off knowing I fucked your brothers?" The immortal groaned, hips jerking as the human let out a laugh, dark and dripping with lust.

"How often do you wish they'd fuck you, claim you. Imagine you and Klaus, killing a few random whores, all keyed up on blood and ready to touch, taste, enjoy." Kol shivered violently, whimpering already tasting the imaginary blood, human and hybrid.

"Then there's Finn, you'd want to feel him against you, taller, broader, stronger and pressing every inch of you together as he presses bruises into your skin, filling you up again and again until you can't take any more." He started to rock his body a little bit faster, clutching at Jeremy, hiding against his neck as hot breath fanned his ear.

"But the real prize, Elijah. To watch that perfectly put together calm fall apart and the beast to come out so he can use you as he pleases. The noble vampire doing everything considered wrong as he fucks his little brother, a perfect little toy that will beg and whimper for more no matter what he does because you'll always want more." Kol squeezed his eyes shut, hips stuttering, he was so close feeling the ghosts of fantasy on his skin and he just need a little more.

"But better than that would be all three." Kol was almost begging, so far past what he thought possible, never before had some taken his darkest fantasises and brought them to life, to hear them in that sweet lust filled voice. Jeremy was the only thing holding him up and he was sure he was leaving bruises on the teen from his grip.

Those smooth full lips skimmed past his ear, down his throat before clamping down on his throat and it was all the vampire needed, eyes rolling back in his head as he came, a shaking wreck of nerves and pleasure and when the world stopped being explosions of colour and light behind his lids did he look at Jeremy.

Said human looked very satisfied with a hint of smug and Kol nearly cursed when he realised that Finn and Elijah would probably be back and they were in hearing distance of the house. He'd have been angry if the thought of his brothers hearing hadn't made his cock twitch.

"You are evil Jeremy Gilbert."

"From you that is a compliment." Jeremy chuckled. "And I need to get my kicks somehow, now why don't you get cleaned up and I'll walk back." The vampire was suddenly gone and the brunette burst out laughing, oh he was going to enjoy this.


	14. Chapter 14

Jeremy had enjoyed the next few days, the tension between the family slowly bled out with a few tears and fights but it was far better than before. He also got a good laugh as the elder brother subconsciously reacted to what they'd heard. Kol was slowly going insane from the way they took up his personal space, standing to close, hands brushing against skin, under his shirt. He was sure he'd heard Kol whimper and the greatest thing was his brothers hadn't even realised they were doing it.

Finn and Elijah had started leaning on each other and together were the perfect support for the family while Rebekah was catching herself, thinking about them as well, rather than just herself, a lesson most of them where learning. The Mikaelsons were stitching themselves back together and now all that could help was time, he'd done his job.

The human packed up his things, all of his clothes, sketch books and the little pieces he'd brought with him and left while the house was quiet, smiling fondly as he left.

Klaus was the first to notice that their human had left, looking into the teens room to see if he wanted to join him in the art studio. He blinked before quickly looking through the draws and wardrobes and finding them empty of the few possessions Jeremy had kept there.

He couldn't help the distressed whimper that escaped, his family followed the sound and appeared, at the discovery all he saw was their devastated. Kol bit down on his lip, looking teary eyed and latched onto Elijah who just held him.

"Stop." It was Finn who spoke and they all whipped their heads around to look at him. "This isn't Jeremy's home, he probably just wanted to return and knows we'd try and stop him." He explained, stopping the emotional overload that was going on in his family and silently praying to the goddess that he was right, though he was relatively sure that he was.

It was only once Finn knew that Jeremy would have returned after school and work that he went to the human's home.

Jeremy looked perfect, laid in his bed, sheets over his waist leaving his torso bare, soft pink lips slightly parted and face relaxed, his hair tousled in the most adorable fashion.

He suddenly wished for Niklaus' artistic abilities and took a moment to ensure that the image would never leave his mind, neither would the sleepy but happy noises the teen made as the vampire ran a cool hand through his hair.

Watching those beautiful warm brown eyes open made his breath hitch, Jeremy looked angelic and the vampire couldn't help leaning down, claiming a light kiss before letting his fingertips tail over the smooth jaw.

"Hey." Jeremy's voice was as soft as the air around them, sleep warmed and inviting and Finn had to claim those lips again, even if just for a moment.

"Hello, you look happy?" The question was heavily implied in his voice as he kicked off his shoes before moving under the sheets to lay beside the other, arm tucked under his own head.

"I'm home and I wake up to a gorgeous guy in my room. Why wouldn't I be happy?" Jeremy suddenly grimaced. "I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything but I didn't want the arguments." Jeremy looked away ashamed but Finn just kissed him slowly, Jeremy melting into the kiss, hand tangling in the vampires shirt.

They drifted together, legs tangling as Finn let his arms slid around the slim toned waist and felt long fingers sliding into his hair, letting their tongues tangle and bodies move together.

A warm hand slipped under his shirt, tracing the contours of his abs, making the vampire shivered.

They only pulled apart as the Gilbert started to run out of air and Finn took the chance to remove his shirt, pulling the enticingly warm body against his own. Running his hand over the smooth toned plains of the handsome young man before him. The young man returning the ministrations as their lips melded once more.

It was languid and exploitative, getting to know one another's bodies until they second nature and each move, caress was without thought.

They jumped apart as the door slammed, making the house shake.

"What the fuck!" Jeremy licked his lips before scrambling out of bed and down stairs, revealing the thin sweat pants he was wearing.

Jeremy reached the top of the stairs and at the bottom saw Elena there, something sharp jabbed into his heart but he wasn't going to let it bother him.

"What the hell Elena? Are you trying to bring the house down?" He walked slowly down the stairs and watched as his sis-cousin, seethed at him.

"You cut me off from the family account?" She was breathing like a raging bull, ready to start screeching.

"No I cut you off from my account, Dad left everything of his to me while you got all of Mom's things." He explained suddenly feeling heavy, he really didn't want to do this.

He watched emotions flicker over her face as she slowly put it together and she screeched in indignation. It made him wince and take a step back, hitting a firm body that wrapped around him, lips peppering kisses down his throat.

Elena had frozen the moment Finn had appeared, staring as Jeremy relaxed into him, leaning his head back against the vampires shoulder.

"You've got no reason to complain." And he put a little emphasis on it, because the house hadn't been in their parents name, just their dads so it belonged exclusively to him.

"But, but." She looked horrified because she suddenly realised that Jeremy had more than her, more money, more property and she wanted to scream as she finally figured out that he could leave her with nothing. Though most people wouldn't consider a hundred thousand and an upscale apartment in New York nothing.

Elena was completely red in the face, an ugly splotchy affair and Finn was beginning to wonder what anyone, especially Elijah, would ever see in the girl. She was far to needy and self absorbed. Then again he still wondered how he'd overlooked the treasure that was Jeremy for so long.

"Look Elena, if there's nothing wrong other than your bruised ego, I was busy and I'd like to get back to it." He smiled before turning just enough for a quick kiss from the vampire.

"What about Elijah?" The girl snapped, she seemed infuriated but really she was wondering if there was a chance to get the noble vampire under her thumb.

"Certainly not interested in you." Her gaze snapped to Finn who smiled pleasantly, looking for all the world like he belonged exactly where he was. "Elijah is quiet happy without your interference and we all request you cease harassing Jeremy. You've hurt him enough."

Elena felt her jaw drop, how dare he talk to her like that. Elijah liked her, was attracted to her and they were the ones who had turned Jeremy against her.

She turned sharply slamming the door once again on her way out and Jeremy groaned, head falling into his hands as a few tears escaped and rolled down his cheeks. Finn turned him around and kissed them away, silently promising that he wasn't alone, he had them, all of them. The originals would be right by his side and they weren't letting him go.

"Go home Finn." Jeremy smiled softly at him. "I need to sleep and you'll want to talk with the others, I'll see you soon."

Finn sighed before using vampire speed to grab his things and put them one before returning to the teen, giving him one last deep kiss before leaving, a smiling Jeremy closing the door behind him, the lock clicking.

When Finn got home he happily dropped onto the sofa between Klaus and Kol, the latter moving to throw his legs into his brothers lap just to be annoying. Elijah was sitting in the arm chair while Rebekah was spread across the other sofa.

"So Jeremy?" It was Rebekah who brought it up and he felt his brothers tense slightly.

"Is just happy to be home, he missed his own bed." He felt the air go out the others as they laughed in relief. "You know he doesn't like conflict, he couldn't deal with our inevitable attempts to stop him." The siblings all looked their versions of sheepish at that and nodded, they couldn't say they blamed the teen.

"However we need to keep an eye on the doppelgänger. She found out that Jeremy cut her access to his accounts and is far from pleased, it's likely she'd planning something."

"We will be ready." Elijah sounded firm in his belief, everyone of the Mikaelsons were determined not to let anything to happen to their human.


	15. Chapter 15

It was late at night and the Grill only had a few people milling about, most of them waiting for someone to come pick them up. Jeremy was wiping down the bar when a familiar dark haired vampire appeared and signalled for a drink.

Jeremy put the bourbon in front of Damon without thought and just waited, he knew something was coming.

"Jeremy Gilbert, what a naughty boy you are." Damon's face was turned up in that devlish, taunting smirk that made you question whether you wanted smack him or fuck him. "Sleeping with four brothers, you've turned into quite the slut."

"Yep." Jeremy popped the P, not at all ashamed, in his opinion liking sex and having it with lots of people wasn't a bad thing, it was how you went about it.

Damon arched an eyebrow, looking vaguely surprised and a little impressed.

"And it was only three, haven't slept with Finn." He shrugged, not that it really mattered or was anyone's business.

"Oh, that was one of the things that Elena was ranting about." Jeremy winced at the mention of her name.

"Making out and having sex are two different things but Elena always knows what's best." The mocking edge to his voice was out of character but he was sick, tired and hurt from Elena drama and he really didn't want to go through more. "So did you tell Stefan his girlfriend is still after someone else?"

Damon arched his eyebrow yet again, looking at him questioningly, an amused interest there.

"The first thing she asked was 'What about Elijah?'. She's still after him and if she gets the chance..." He trailed off and left the thought hanging. "Not that she will, the other Originals will kill her long before that."

"You don't seem concerned?"

Jeremy laughed a little.

"Because there is no way in hell Elijah will ever go for her, he thinks she's a manipulative narcissist who only wants him for his money, power and looks. And that's it to a t." The teen explained. "It's why she was always stringing you along. Why have one when you can have both?"

Damon snorted, it was an all to familiar story he knew well.

Jeremy milled about and guided the remaining drinkers out of the bar until only the vampire remained. Damon was more than content to sip his drink while the teen closed up, occasionally snarking at one another.

Just as he finished Jeremy heard a sharp crack and whipped around to see Damon slumped over the bar, head at an unnatural angle.

The next thing he knew was the pain radiating through his neck.

The first thing Jeremy noticed was the dull throb of his neck, something he recognised from having it snapped and healed by his ring. As he tried to move he realised his hands were tied behind his back, the rope looped around something, the back of the chair he was in maybe.

He wanted to curse but he knew it wouldn't do any good and whoever had taken him had to be vampire, if they were here they already knew he was awake. Looking around the room was dark and cold, lit only by a small fire.

His head snapped to the side before pain seared across his cheek, spreading out over his jaw and temple.

"Wakey wakey little Gilbert, we have a lot to talk about."

 _For more please go to the squeal._

 _Iron Army_


End file.
